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Astronomy: Messier 16 the Eagle nebula
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This image of the open star cluster Messier 16 is known as the Eagle nebula. It lies in the constellation of Serpens, at a distance of about 7.000 light years, but still inside our Milky Way Galaxy. The giant pillars are light years in length and are so dense that interior gas contracts gravitationally to form stars. At each pillars' end, the intense radiation of bright young stars blows low density material away, so that the evaporating gaseous globules (EGG's) emerge. These EGG's are a stellar nursary. In the second close up picture are several young bright blue stars visible. Related subjects>> Messier catalog of 110 deep sky objects>> Charles Messier >> Milky Way Galaxy |
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